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Ms Jones, from Holbrooks, said she was left in pain because her gallbladder infection was left untreated.

Ms Jones said: “Upon arrival at Walsgrave, I had an ultrasound scan which showed a thickened gallbladder and cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder). I was admitted on to hospital ward 22.

“I was examined the following morning and I was told that my pain was due to my appendix.

“Due to my scan I believed I was suffering from cholecystitis, but believing that they knew best I went into surgery that day.

“I woke up at 8.45pm in recovery. I was shaking violently with stomach pain, screaming, knowing something wasn’t right.”

Charlene Jones, 31

The mum-of-three claims that nurses wouldn’t offer any painkillers stronger than paracetamol and she was discharged on August 2, the day after the operation.

She went home but her condition deteriorated and the following day she went to the accident and emergency department at UHCW.

After deciding she wasn’t happy with the care she was receiving, Ms Jones left and sought treatment at Birmingham City Hospital, where she was put on morphine and antibiotics drips, before transferring to Sandwell Hospital, near West Bromwich.

There, she says she was treated for septic shock, and scans revealed that she was suffering from acute emphysematous cholecystitis - a serious gallbladder infection.

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Ms Jones said: “I went to Birmingham hospital because I knew that my situation would not get the right care at Walsgrave.

“The doctors and nurses at both Birmingham hospitals seemed to do more for me in an hour than Walsgrave did in 80 hours.

“After strong painkillers and intravenous antibiotics I was in less pain.

“The doctor at Birmingham couldn’t understand why my appendix was taken out when evidence pointed to cholecystitis. My appendix was perfectly normal.

“I strongly believe that I would be seriously ill or dead had I not gone to Birmingham.”

Charlene Jones, pictured in hospital

Now at home and recovering, Ms Jones has lodged a formal complaint to the hospital, saying: “I don’t normally believe in making complaints as the NHS is a free service, but what they did to me was unacceptable. The pain was unreal.”

University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire was approached for comment.

But a spokesman insisted that the Trust was “unable to discuss information about the care of individual patients”.

He added: “All our surgeons follow guidelines from the Royal College of Surgeons.

“We would urge the patient to contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service to discuss their care if they haven’t already done so.”